Kalonzo seeks new pact for presidency bid, says Musila

Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka will not pursue his presidential ambitions within the G7 Alliance.

Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) party chairman David Musila on Friday said Mr Musyoka was seeking fresh partners to team up with as he prepares to vie for the presidency in the next elections.

Mr Musila, the Defence assistant minister, said WDM had given him and MPs Ahmed Affey and Charles Kilonzo the task of reaching out to other presidential aspirants to craft a coalition.

“Kenyans know that we are no longer part of the G7 Alliance. In any case, G7 Alliance was not a formal group. I don’t know who the seven leaders are. We were not formal members of the G7 Alliance,” he said.

The move by Wiper Party to distance Mr Musyoka, its presidential aspirant from the G7 comes after State House hopefuls Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, Eugene Wamalwa and Charity Ngilu met at the Gatundu South MP’s residence for breakfast and agreed on a coalition.

They did not invite Mr Musyoka inspite of the fact that he has been a key member of G7 Alliance— a loose political grouping which sought to field a single presidential aspirant in the next elections.

Sources said during the meeting that the leaders agreed to share position in a coalition they are preparing to announce before the end of the month.

It was understood that Mr Kenyatta will be the presidential candidate, Mr Ruto his running mate, Mr Wamalwa the majority leader in Parliament and while Water Minister Charity Ngilu and Environment Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere were to share positions of speaker for the Senate and Parliament.

Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo, who is Wiper’s secretary general, revealed that Mr Musyoka had informed the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting this week that he had been offered a lesser position which he had declined. Read (Kalonzo rejects job as G7 strikes power deal)

It later emerged that the position was that of Majority Leader in Parliament which is akin to the current Prime Minister’s position.

“There is no way we would be able to sell it (he declined to name the position) to our people. The VP told us he rejected what he was offered and we are in agreement with no redeeming consequences,” Mr Kilonzo.

Said Mr Musila: “It cannot work and it is not acceptable. If anything, they can donate it to other leaders and go ahead with their coalition.”

Wiper MPs felt chided by the G7 group especially on their decision to choose to work with Mr Musyoka’s main critics in the region —Mrs Ngilu and Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo.

Mr Musila wished the Uhuru-Ruto axis success in their intended coalition and said Mr Musyoka was reaching out to other parties to form a coalition.

“There is no animosity. There was an attempt to form a coalition which did not succeed. We wish the parties that have united success. The Vice President will pursue his presidential ambitions with other parties,” he said.

Mr Musila, Mr Affey and Mr Charles Kilonzo are part of a team which is leading negotiations with members of the United Democratic Forum (UDF) of Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi for a possible coalition.

The UDF team is made up of Cabinet Minister Soita Shitanda and MPs Boni Khalwale (Ikolomani) and Jeremiah Kioni (Ndaragwa).

“I have been mandated with other colleagues to reach out to other parties for a possible coalition. We will talk to other parties with a view of forming an alliance,” he said.

He was categorical that Mr Musyoka was determined to have his name on the presidential ballot paper.

“The VP is firmly in the race. However, he is conscious of the fact that a coalition will make it appropriate for him to united Kenyans,” he said.

There are signals that the Wiper party could also form an alliance with Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement.

The VP’s close allies, Mr Mutula Kilonzo and Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama are on Saturday expected to host Lands minister James Orengo of ODM in Mbooni as the Education minister launches his bid for the Makueni Senate seat.